


Rescue

by heartofstanding



Category: 14th Century CE RPF
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic, Plantagenets' A+ Parenting, Trees, child in (brief) peril
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-01 05:02:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17860799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartofstanding/pseuds/heartofstanding
Summary: Humphrey of Lancaster gets stuck up a tree, Harry of Lancaster gets him down.





	Rescue

‘Harry!’

Humphrey calls for him, sounding utterly miserable. Harry scans the grounds, trying to find his youngest brother. His heart seems to want to rip through his ribs and impale itself on the roses. He can’t see Humphrey anywhere. Has he fallen and hurt himself? Is someone trying to do him harm?

Thomas and John are standing with their nurses under the oak, staring up at the branches. Harry jogs over, trying to tell himself that everything is fine, they are taking care of Humphrey.

‘Harry.’ John grabs his arms. ‘I told him not, told him that he’s too small—’

Humphrey wails above their heads. Harry jerks his head up, even as he hugs John close, and sees his brother tucked against the branches of the oak, face red and wet. Desperate. His hands are clinging tightly to the wood, disturbing the cracked bark.

One of the nurses winces. ‘I’ll get one of the grooms,’ she says, turning already.

‘Leave him up there,’ Thomas says. ‘He’ll figure out how to come down eventually.’

Hal glares at him, knowing Thomas is only saying that because that’s what their father told him when Thomas got stuck. Thomas didn’t really believe Henry until it was getting dark and he was about to miss supper, and then he tried to make his way down and fell. Didn’t end up with more than bruises, but he’d turned up at supper with a face whiter than snow and Henry had nearly wept.

Humphrey wails again. The nurse halts, unhappy.

‘Harry?’ John says. ‘I did tell him…’

‘I know, John. It’s not your fault.’

He releases John, pushing him over to Thomas. He scrambles up onto the lowest branches and climbs, hands and feet moving instinctively. This is the first tree he’d climbed, the one he’s climbed the most. He’s reasonably sure he could reach the top with his eyes shut, but he’d never try it.

Humphrey is more than halfway up, a good effort for his first time. Harry reaches him easily, settling on the branch next to him and immediately hugging him close. Humphrey clings to him, his fingers digging in.

‘It’s alright,’ he murmurs. ‘It’s alright, I’ll get you down.’

Humphrey swallows, his throat working hard. ‘I didn’t – I didn’t – I thought I’d be okay.’

‘The worst part is always getting down,’ Harry says. ‘And you did very well for your first climb.’

‘You and Thomas and John – you always climb up so high. I just wanted – I just wanted to be like you.’

Harry knows how badly Humphrey feels his youth and inexperience next to his older brothers, ashamed of his frail health. ‘When I first started, I could only make it up one or two branches. See? You’ve already beaten me.’

Humphrey shakes his head, hiccupping.

Harry smiles. ‘Come on. Dry your eyes. I’ll get you down.’

Humphrey breathes in shakily, scrubbing his sleeve over his face roughly. Harry manages to convince Humphrey to loosen his grip on him long enough to scramble over onto his back. Humphrey’s hot face buries itself against Harry’s shoulder.

Harry doesn’t need to say it – he has no doubt that Humphrey will not let go of him for at least half an hour – but he smiles over his shoulder at Humphrey and says, ‘Hold on.’

Then he swings down. Humphrey yelps, fingers burrowing into Harry’s skin. Humphrey’s nervous for the next couple of branches, but soon settles. Even so, by the time Harry’s feet are on the ground, he doesn’t loosen his grip.

John launches himself at Harry, trying to tug Humphrey down. Harry laughs and drops to his knees, letting John clamber onto his back as well, hugging Humphrey.

‘I told you! Did you listen? No!’

Harry catches Thomas’s eyes. He seems relieved, even if he does roll his eyes mightily. But then his lips twitch into a grin and he launches himself at Harry, knocking them all to the ground. There are arms and legs everywhere and John does not stop scolding Humphrey, even if he doesn’t let up on his hugging.

‘Next time,’ Harry says to Humphrey. ‘You wait until Thomas or I can go with you and make sure you don’t get stuck. Or stick to the lower branches.’

Humphrey squeezes Harry’s shoulders again. ‘You’re the best, Harry.’

Harry bites back the scoff that wants to break free and instead twists around to hug both Humphrey and John. ‘Yes, well, I still think you’re all better.’

 


End file.
